Is This Love
by MelodyHeart19
Summary: Shadowleaf has always been in love with Lakeshine who is becoming interested in him. But when the opportunity to become a medicine cat like she's always wanted comes will she choose him? Meanwhile Sapphiremoon has fallen for a rouge interested in clan life. But what will happen when she finds he is not the cat she thought he was?
1. Lakeshine

SlPOV

I quietly walked through the lush green trees and underbrush of the pine forest I called my home carefully avoiding stepping on any sticks or other objects which might alert potential prey of my sister Hollycloud's, or Stonestreak's presence. Though we were on patrol, a daily part of clan life, taking home any extra fresh-kill would be more than appreciated by the rest of the clan. I kept my eyes and ears open to make sure we didn't happen upon intruders trespassing on Thunderclan territory, this included cat from the other clans; Shadowclan, Windclan, and Riverclan as well as rouges. We reached the small clearing bordered by trees that marked the Shadowclan border and noticed the scent markers were starting to fade and needed replacing.

"Stonestreak, help me remark the scent line," I ordered the gray tabby tom.

"No problem," he said in his overly cheerful way his blue eyes bouncing with the same cheer in his voice. I didn't see how he could be so cheery all the time, it really grated my nerves how he could seem happy in the most distressing situations. He bounced away from my sister momentarily ceasing his flirting with her and walked to the line of trees that separated our territory from Shadowclan's. He quickly made his way to the far side of the stretch of trees separating us from Shadowclan territory and started on that side while I started on the other and we walked along the tree line spraying it with our scent and rubbing against the trees to make it stronger. Once we each reached the opposite side in which we started and I was satisfied that we had done our job well enough we walked back to Hollycloud who was sitting there waiting patiently for us to finish so we could head back to camp since we had already checked the Windclan border and it was almost sun down.

"Tell me if you think that's good enough," I told my sister nodding to the trees we had just marked. She nodded and made her way to the border bent down and gently sniffed it.

"Wow that's strong," she said wrinkling her nose slightly at the intensity of our scent and straightening back up and heading back to us.

"Good," I replied, "come let's head back to camp." I turned and started making my way back through the trees and bushes I had just come through the others following suit and again flirting with each other. Those two were starting to irk me; couldn't they keep that to themselves? Besides, Hollycloud was too young to take a mate in my opinion even though she was the same age as me.

"Hello Shadowleaf, Hollycloud," a she-cat's voice said stopping us in our tracks. I turned around to see the sleek black pelt of Nightcloud, my grandmother, sitting on the other side of the border as she was a Shadowclan cat her amber eyes staring at me with a look that clearly stated she knew I was the leader of this patrol.

"Greetings Nightcloud," I replied curtly wanting to avoid the situation I knew was bound to happen if I didn't answer.

"I haven't seen you or your siblings in a while," she said referring to Hollycloud and Tigerfrost, my other sister, saying it as if she should see us every day even though different clans hardly associated outside of the gatherings held every full moon.

"Yes not since the last gathering," Hollycloud said matter-of-factly. Nightcloud may be our grandmother but she was still a Shadowclan cat, an enemy and didn't require pleasant attitudes. Though I wished that Hollycloud wasn't so frank with her attitude I shared her feelings about Nightcloud.

"Yes, tell me how is Iceheart?" she asked ignoring Hollycloud's obvious attitude and really just dismissing what Hollycloud said entirely.

"Our father is fine not that it's really any of your business," Hollycloud hissed her black and white pelt beginning to stand on end. I should have known something like this would've happened Nightcloud didn't like me or my sisters much, especially Hollycloud, since we were sort of the reason her son and our father, Iceheart left Shadowclan to join Thunderclan. When our mother Moonstorm and our father met they were in different clans, he in Shadowclan and she in Thunderclan. Despite this and the fact that their clans were at war at the time didn't stop them from falling in love and leave our mother expecting us. When our father found out that our mother was expecting he asked to switch clans to be with her and to this day Nightcloud still held a grudge against us and our mother.

"He may be in Thunderclan now but he is still my son," Nightcloud hissed back her black pelt bristling and her amber eyes glistening with anger as she caught on to Hollycloud's mood.

"Well as nice as this conversation is I think we should head back to camp," Stonestreak said calming things over before it turned into a border skirmish which I could sense was close to happening.

"Agreed," I said grateful for the chance to escape, "come on let's go Hollycloud." She then gave a threating hiss and stalked off head held high and tail tossed defiantly in the air behind her heading towards the camp. Stonestreak followed, then me with one last look towards Nightcloud to see her heading towards her own camp. When we got back to Thunderclan camp I told Bramblestar of the encounter with Nightcloud and that we remarked the borders for both Shadowclan and Windclan as well as there being no signs of any intruders.

"Good," Bramblestar said, "go get you a piece of fresh-kill off the fresh-kill pile and rest," his tone appreciative. I'm sure he was pleased to know that there were no signs of potential threats within the borders. Though that didn't mean that there weren't going to be any difficulties any time soon with leaf-fall looming in the distance and the ever looming possibility of the other clans or rouges deciding to attack.

I dipped my head in acknowledgement and went to the fresh-kill pile. There I saw Lakeshine pawing through the pile making my heart jump into overdrive. I stared briefly; amazed that she always seemed to look so beautiful even while doing something as simple as looking for her a piece of fresh-kill. I snapped out of my momentary daze and began to look through the fresh- kill pile as well. I soon spotted a thrush and gently picked it up with my teeth making sure not to bite down to hard as to not tear into it. Then I padded the short distance to Lakeshine and dropped it at her paws. "There you go," I said shyly, hoping she couldn't tell how embarrassed I was to have known her favorite kind of prey.

"How did you know I was looking for one?" she asked her silver tortoiseshell fur contracting a light shade of pink around her muzzle in her embarrassment that made her look that much more beautiful.

"I-It was just a guess," I stuttered a little relieved that my blush couldn't be seen through my black coat, "I mean you usually get a thrush." I decided then to shut up afraid she'd figure out that sometimes I would just sit and watch her as she pawed through the fresh-kill pile or as the sun was shining in her lovely silver fur and when we were hunting how she moved with deadly grace and precision or noticed how she would stop and stare curiously at herbs for a minute or two while we were on patrol before padding away a sad longing look in her aqua blue eyes.

"Well it's nice to know someone is interested in me," she said a small, sad smile on her muzzle. 'If only she knew,' I thought all the more embarrassed. The masked pain in her aqua eyes was unmistakable and looking into them I wondered briefly if she really thought that no one was interested in her. I guessed she didn't notice how every tom in the clans stopped to stare as she walked by or how every queen young and old sighed with envy as she sat to clean her tail before the start of every gathering.

"Do you really think that no one is interested in you?" I asked softly.

She laughed a laugh that sounded like bells in Starclan and gave me a smile that squeezed my heart. I decided I should get some fresh-kill before I looked like an idiot standing there. I picked up the first thing I saw which happened to be a vole. I turned to go find a spot to sit and eat alone as usual when she tapped me on the shoulder with her tail. "Would you like to sit with me?" she asked.

"Um sure," I said taken aback by the offer but delighted in it nonetheless. We then walked to a small spot in front of the fallen tree that made up the warriors den and lay down opposite each other but still close, with our fresh-kill. For a while we said nothing and just ate. I watched her in between bites admiring how gracefully she bit into the vole and chewed with an elegance that was simply amazing. She suddenly looked up and caught me staring at her. I blushed and looked away hoping to Starclan that she wouldn't think me weird. After we finished eating we scooted closer to each other and began sharing tongues. I relished in how great it was to gently scrape my tongue along her sleek silver tortoiseshell pelt while she did the same for my rough black pelt.

"So how am I interesting?" she asked with a curious playful tint in her voice after we were finished and sitting just enjoying each other's company. It had been a long time since I just sat with another cat and enjoyed their company so when she spoke I jumped a little surprised to have the peaceful silence broken. She looked at me expectantly and I knew I was going to have to answer her.

"W-well you just are," I stammered embarrassed, quickly sitting up to duck my head. I knew she was asking for a more in-depth answer than that but I was too embarrassed and I didn't want to make my crush on her obvious by telling her. I sat there for a moment trying to think of a way to dodge the question when her voice startled me again and I realized I had been staring at her the whole time.

"Come on tell me," she begged sitting up as well. She had such a beautiful pleading look in her eyes that I couldn't fight. It was like she was trying to look into my heart and soul for the answers that I didn't know I could give her. It's not like I didn't have the answers, I knew exactly why I found her intriguing I just didn't know if I could find the courage to open up to her and tell her. I always found it hard to be open with other cats except my siblings and even then I was still a little closed.

"I don't know if I could," I said honestly looking away to hide my shame. I felt like crying because she was asking me to do something I was too much of a coward to do. I wanted so much to be open with her but I just didn't know how or even if I should. I didn't trust anyone but myself with my heart and feelings and I knew eventually I was going to have to make the choice to either trust her or not.

"You're not very open are you?" she noted studying me for a minute or two. When she looked me in the eye I again felt like she was trying to look straight into my heart and soul. I sat watching as she looked at me with such and honest intensity that there was no way I couldn't be open with her. It was in that moment that I decided to trust her with the thing most precious and sacred to me never for one moment wondering if I was making a mistake.

"No I'm not," I said lifting my head because I realized I had no reason to be ashamed. I was never very open because I had never found the right cat to open up to. Now I had that cat sitting in front of me looking at me with nothing but concern in her eyes.

"You shouldn't be ashamed about it," she said softly not realizing I had this very epiphany only moments before, "not everyone can be open with everyone, some are closed simply because they're afraid of being hurt and they use the walls as a defense around their heart and soul." She looked at me gently, "it's not something you should be ashamed of."

I looked at her startled because she had explained and understood it so clearly like no other cat ever could. "You almost sound like a medicine cat," I said trying to compliment the wisdom of her words. I was unprepared for her reaction and was shocked when her aqua eyes which only moments before were swimming with concern turned hard with what looked like anger and longing.

"Yes well I'm not one," she snapped a bit harshly. I sat there stunned not knowing what to do and how to make the wistful look in her eyes go away. My heart cried out to give her anything she wanted to make her happy but I was unaware of what to do to make that happen.

"Did you ever want to be one?" I asked hoping that talking would make the cold hard look in her eyes go away. Though I was genuinely curious I was also a bit stung by the harshness in her voice and was afraid of what bringing up the very topic that had made her snap would do.

"I did at one point but Bramblestar made me a warrior instead," she said sadly. I hated to hear that sadness in her voice. It made me want to lick the fur between her ears and go take a swipe at Bramblestar. I wondered about Bramblestar's reason for making Lakeshine a warrior and decided to ask him one day. I rose to my paws and stretched to lick the fur between her ears in comfort. She gave a little jolt the sighed obviously glad to have my comfort.

"Why did you never ask him to make you Jayfeather's apprentice?" I knew Bramblestar well and knew that if she had just asked he more than likely would've done it. Bramblestar wasn't harsh and he would never just cast a clan member's wishes aside without very good reason.

"I figured Bramblestar knew best," she replied casting her eyes downward. I realized then that she was probably too scared to face the clan leader alone no matter how much she had wanted to be a medicine cat. I wondered briefly if she ever would have talked to Bramblestar if she had had somebody to support and back her up.

"Do you ever regret it?" I asked softly wishing I could've been there for her and helped her muster up the courage to talk to Bramblestar. I deeply wanted to be there to do anything she wanted and needed. I wanted to be everything and anything for her and I knew I would if she asked me to.

Her blue eyes looked in my leaf green ones and I saw a deep sadness buried deep in her eyes, "sometimes yes," she said, "but why should I dwell on the past when I can make the most of my future?" I admired her optimistic attitude and gave her a small smile.

"If you could change the past would you?"

"I don't know maybe," she said thoughtfully, "but if I was one I'd never be able to take a mate." She looked at me and shyly smiled as she said the last part making my heart pounded with hope. I wanted so much to know that I was her reason for saying that and wanting to take a mate. I saw all my hopes, dreams, and fantasies coming alive in my mind and wanted lean forward and close the distance between her muzzle and mine.

"And that matters to you?" I said deciding to not act so rashly. I wanted and needed to hear the words leave her mouth before I did anything that could cost me everything. I was well aware we had just entered dangerous territory and one wrong move could end the delicate relationship we had now.

"Well yes," she said blushing, "perhaps you'd find it would matter to you one day as well."

"It matters very much to me, "I said my voice husky with all the emotions and thoughts raging inside my heart and head. I knew what I was about to say next would change everything but if I didn't say it now I knew I never would.

I timidly put my paw on hers and looked her deep in the eyes knowing that as she looked in my eyes she would see all my love and affection reflected in them. "Lakeshine," I started as nervous as a Shadowclan warrior in the sunlight, "I think I'm in love with you."


	2. Smokey

Chapter 2

SmPOV

I was on a hunting patrol quietly stalking through the underbrush of the forest waiting for my chance to pounce on the squirrel obliviously nibbling on an acorn. After a few moments my chance came and I pounced on the squirrel killing it with a swift bite to the neck. After mumbling a quick thanks to Starclan I walked back to Dovewing and Squirrelflight whom carried two pieces of fresh-kill each. "Let's head back to camp," Squirrelflight said, "this should be enough to feed even Greystripe." I laughed and nodded following her lead as we headed back through the trees. Suddenly Dovewing stopped and turned her ears in several directions, undoubtedly hearing something Squirrelflight and I had yet to. Her pelt rose in surprise and aggression and Squirrelflight and I dropped our prey and were immediately on the alert.

"What is it Dovewing?" I asked looking around for warriors from another clan. Instead I found a Smokey grey tom with light green eyes that didn't look at all familiar emerging from the trees and looking around uneasily. A quick sniff revealed that he had no scent that belonged to any of the other clans or ours and the way he seemed uncomfortable in the forest made me come to the conclusion that he was either a kittypet or not used to the forest and thus not from around here.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Squirrelflight bluntly asked the tom. Hearing the menace in her voice frightened me so I was certain that this unfamiliar tom was also scared of her. I wondered briefly if being so threating to the tom was wise. After all we did not yet know if he was friend or foe. I cast him a sympathetic glance hoping he wasn't too frightened to answer Squirrelflight's questions, Starclan only knew what she would do to him then.

"I'm called Smokey," he said making sure there was no hint of aggression in his tone or eyes, "and I'm just looking for a place to settle down for the night." He gave me a grateful look letting me know that he had understood the meaning in my gaze and it had indeed done him some good.

"Are you aware that you are on clan territory?" Dovewing asked trying not to make her tone too threating. She too thought it wasn't wise to threaten this tom too much. I was glad I would have her support if Squirrelflight decided to cause trouble. Though Squirrelflight was the deputy she sometimes had a bad habit of hastily acting on what she saw as a threat.

"Um no I was not," the tom, Smokey, said matter-of-factly, "would you kindly explain to me exactly what a 'clan' is?" It was obvious then that Smokey was a rouge cat perhaps evens a former kittypet. The thought of some cat willingly living with two-legs and eating the hard food pellets that looked remarkably close to rabbit droppings made my pelt stand on end. I knew I wouldn't be able to stand one day away from the pine forest next to the lake that I called home let alone spend the day purring and rubbing against the hind paw of a two-leg.

"We are large groups of cats that live together in areas such as these and we hunt and protect each other from our youngest kits to our most seasoned elders," I explained kindly. "There are four clans; Windclan, Shadowclan, Riverclan, and then us Thunderclan," I paused giving him a moment to absorb the information I had just given him, "each of the clans has territory around this lake and scent markers to mark them and you are currently trespassing on Thunderclan territory."

"Oh that sounds interesting," Smokey said completely ignoring the fact that I just stated that he was trespassing on our territory, "would you mind if I stayed with you guys to learn more about this 'clan life'?" I was astonished to hear him ask so bluntly to be allowed to walk into our camp and stay as if he belonged there.

Both I and Dovewing looked at Squirrelflight for the answer after all she was Bramblestar's mate and deputy so we assumed she would know what he would decide better than us. I looked the tom up and down and hoped he could. He may have been blunt but he was still deserving of a chance to prove his trustworthiness and learn more about the world he seemed to have unknowingly stumbled into. I found myself also thinking that he was rather dashing and wondering if he had a mate. I soon realized where my thoughts were leading and shook my head to clear out all thoughts of this rouge and any possible mate he may or may not have.

"I think we should take him to Bramblestar and let him decide," she said after some thought. I was relieved that she was giving him a chance instead of instigating a fight.

"Who's Bramblestar?" Smokey asked confused.

"One of the four clan leaders and more specifically our leader," I said.

"Oh you're not the leader?" he asked Squirrelflight a flirtatious edge in his voice. My blood started to boil as he continued to flirt with her asking her questions about what her position in the clan was and commenting on how being something as important as deputy suited her, as he could tell just from looking at her. How dare he have to audacity to flirt with Bramblestar's mate! I couldn't help but realize that I felt jealous of Squirrelflight after all she was the clan leader's mate and here was some random tom flirting with her. It irked me to think of all of the times the unmated toms in the clans would look at her before they looked at any other she-cat and now here was some random rouge flirting with her.

"He also happens to be her mate," I said curtly. Squirrelflight gave me a grateful look and picked up her fresh-kill and began walking again. I then felt it was wrong of me to be mad at her for attracting the attention of other cats. I realized she must not like the attention of any tom other than her mate.

"Oh," he said surprised to find that the she-cat he had just been flirting with was already taken. I personally thought it served him right. "What about you two? Are you his mates as well?" he asked Dovewing and me. I came to a standstill flabbergasted that he had just asked such a question.

"No I am not his mate," Dovewing said clearly shocked as well, "I belong to a cat named Bumblestripe." I saw the loving look she got in her eye as soon as she said his name and sighed hoping one day I would look the same when I talked about my mate whoever that turned out to be.

"I'm not his mate either," I said quickly when his gaze turned to me; "only Squirrelflight is his mate. Here in the clan we take only one mate instead of many like rouges and kittypets do," I explained wondering briefly why we were so different from the many other cats not belonging to clans. Along with only taking one mate in our lifetime we hunted and walked around during the day and slept at night whereas many other cats did the opposite and walked around at night sleeping during the day.

"Oh and who might you belong to?" he asked curiously. I was thrilled he was finally paying me some attention and felt my white cheek fur turn pink.

"No one," I said casting my sapphire blue eyes away, "I belong to no one." Admitting that ashamed me in a way and made me feel horribly unwanted in another. It was a horrible feeling knowing that no tom wanted to claim me as his own. It also didn't help that all the toms tended to look first towards my-all-too-beautiful sister Lakeshine before giving me a glance. My bright white fur and sapphire eyes dulled horribly in comparison with her shiny silver fur and aqua blue eyes

"That's really interesting," he said that flirtatious note back as he talked to me. He continued to flirt with me as we headed back to the camp and I was surprised to find myself flirting back. We soon reached the camp and Smokey, Dovewing, and I waited while Squirrelflight got Bramblestar. The camp was filled with curious stares and whispers as we stood there waiting for Squirrelflight and Bramblestar. Thankfully we didn't have to wait very long until Bramblestar and Squirrelflight padded down the rocky slope that led from Bramblestar's den. They quickly made their way to where Dovewing, Smokey, and I stood waiting patiently although Smokey was shifting from paw to paw slightly in nervousness.

"This is the rouge you said wanted to know more about clan life?" Bramblestar asked Squirrelflight. She nodded her dark ginger head and twined her tail with his tabby one leaving no doubt in my mind that she had also told him about Smokey attempting to flirt with her. I looked at the grey tom and saw he was shifting his light green eyes around nervously. I smiled sympathetically hoping he wasn't too nervous now that he saw all the members of the clan and was now meeting our leader. "I understand you're interested in getting to know more on clan life," Bramblestar said quickly running his gaze over the tom undoubtedly noticing his lean build that could easily become as sleek and hard as any clan born tom. I could tell by the look in Bramblestar's amber eyes that he was thinking Smokey could be a good addition to the clan.

"Yes I was hoping to stay here for a while and learn what I could," Smokey said hopefully.

"We clan cats don't have the easy life of kittypets," Bramblestar said, "We have to hunt for food and fight for our territory. We don't eat pellets that two-legs set out for us and we don't go inside a two-leg den when the weather gets too harsh."

"With all due respect sir I have never eaten two-leg pellets or gone inside a two-legs den," Smokey said tightly, " I have lived and survived on my own since kit hood and I am sure I could do any task you set before me." I looked at Smokey flabbergasted. I couldn't believe he had spoken to Bramblestar that way. The only cat that spoke to Bramblestar like that was Squirrelflight and she was his mate that combined with Squirrelflight's infamous temper made it almost expected of her. Yet here an unknown rouge was speaking to Bramblestar as if he were just another cat. Although I was astonished by Smokey's tone I had to admire him for standing up to Bramblestar and by the way Squirrelflight and Bramblestar were looking at him I could tell they did too.

"You are welcome to stay with Thunderclan for as long as you like," Bramblestar started, "however you will contribute to the clan same as any clan member. You will go on hunting patrols, border patrols, change the moss in the elders' nest, check the elders for fleas and ticks, and help with any task asked of you." Smokey smiled slightly obviously happy to not be rejected. I smiled as well happy to know the tom was going to be staying for a while although I couldn't quite figure out why.

"Bramblestar," Squirrelflight said concerned, "he will need someone to teach him how to do all of these things." I looked irritably at the ginger she-cat. Couldn't she keep her muzzle shut? Or was it in her nature to uproot problems with every situation. I then stopped my negative thinking after all she was just pointing out the obvious and I had no reason to be so unfairly cruel to her.

"Yes," Bramblestar said, "and though he will not be an official apprentice until he has decided whether or not to permanently join the clan he shall be treated and taught as one" he gave a quick look around at all the warriors before continuing, "his mentor shall be chosen by sun high tomorrow until then Sapphiremoon I'd like you to show him around and make a nest for him in the warriors' den." I dipped my head and looked Smokey hoping he was ready for everything ready to come.


End file.
